I recently got a new set of Falken tyres for the Cooper and one of them kept slowly deflating. I took it off to inspect for nails etc. and discovered that they were put on as tubeless tyres, so I checked the rest of the wheels and sure enough, no tubes. Previously, all wheels had been fitted with tubes and they were never put back with the new tyres. I have just approached the tyre dealer for an answer and his reply was basically that it is a tubeless tyre and that is why the fitters didn't put the tubes back in. He reckons that tyre manufacturers will not uphold warranties if tubes are fitted.

For anyone who runs original steelies on their cars, a lot of the earlier models do not run rims that are designed for tubeless tyres as in my Cooper. Running tubeless without a tube will void any insurance you carry on the car should they be the cause of any any accident. It really peeves me when tyre dealers are not aware of the difference in rim structures and again, putting this to the dealer, his reply was "old cars shouldn't be on the road" . He also made the profound statement "that putting a tube in a tubeless tyre causes them to go flat". No more business for him.

Has anyone else encountered this sort of problem and are people aware of the difference in rims? Pays to always check, in my case I didn't .

Well, I ran tubeless 165/70-10 Falkens on S steelies for years and never got a flat by rolling them off. And yes I tried....
If you want to use tubes, just dust inside the tyre with talcum powder first, it stops the tube from chafing.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I have a slow leak on my S on one rim. ROH wheels. All the other are OK. I have put it down to that tyre bead being faulty or the rim its on. Yes, I'm running Falkens.

As the tyres are just about done, I'm not worrying about it & intend buying another brand as I don't believe the Foulcans are up to it. Very poor grip in the wet. Only $75 each when I bought them, so I guess it's a case of yous pays your money and yous take your chances.

There seems to be conflicting advice on fitting tubes into tubeless. All sorts of opinions, and as Clint Eastwood said.................

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

David I have Faulkens on my powder coated steelies. One has a tube and two keep going flat (haven't been on the road yet ) The installer put the tube in as he said it was too "rough" (not round enough) to give a seal. I used the tyre guy in Fairfield Road - advertised in the MOQC mag- can't remember the name but gave a discount to Club members. Any way not too concerned as I plan to change the wheels to mags of some sort once I'm on the road .

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

I have tubes in 2 A008s right now, the result of picking up Tek screws at work (hate em... )

I had trouble with a tube the first time, as the A008 has a diagonal rib pattern inside and it chafed the tube. But since doing as the tyre dude suggested= putting talc in there, I've not had a problem.
Pushbike technology....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

When I had the Landcruiser with the split rims I used to always carry a tin (plastic?) of talc for dusting the tubes and inside of the tyre before assembly - trick passed on by the LC Club members. Used nearly all of it with 5 punctures in 5 days on the Birdsville track too

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Yes, the talc works a treat, have never had a problem with tubeless tyre and tubes. However, I have rolled a tyre off a rim, one fitted without a tube and should have been. That was some years ago and looking at the cutout view of a rim , it is very easy to see the difference between the two. All later wheels have a slight lip on the inside edge of the surface where the tyre lip fits and this is to prevent the roll off effect from heavy cornering. Also makes it just a little harder to fix a flat out in the bush, not so easy to shift the tyre although there is a handy tool now available for that.

Ahh the experiences us "old farts" (as my sons sometimes refer to me as) have had.

David, haven,t tackled the Birdsville track except by air. Only done the Windorah, Jundah to Blackhall circuit by car and managed to get by Stonehenge and back to Brissie without a flat.

The 5 punctures turned out to be from the same cause - I used a new tube each time and repaired the hole at my leasure. Not until 4 and 5 did I realise they were all in the same area (duh!) close scrutiny revealed a nail buried in the rubber but not poking all the way through until the wheel was in use. That Birdsville run was from Melbourne 21 nights away and only 3 NOT beside fresh water. One beside the track 150K north of Leigh Creek when we sheered all wheel studs on the Right rear wheel - only held us up 24hours and 2 at the "caravan park" at White Cliffs - absolutely amazing outback

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!